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Married: 1914, Corowa, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:2744/1914
Wife: Florence Arkins. nee: Thorpe
Died: 5th April 1918. Died of Wounds Villers-Bretonneux,
France.
Mother: Elizabeth Ann Arkins. nee: Yeo
William (Doom) Arnold Arkins enlisted with the 7th Reinforcements 33rd Battalion AIF on the
10th of August 1916 and left Sydney on board HMAT A68 "Anchises" on the 24th of January 1917.
William Died of Wounds on the 5th of April 1918. Doom died from
wounds whilst in his billet at Villers Bretonneux. Private: 2432 John ROBERTSON
stated, Doom was hit by a shell when in billets early in the morning, shell seemed to
explode right under him. He was taken away from Billets on a streacher but I don't think he was
alive long I saw this. He was wounded at Passchendaele and not long back.
Informant; Sergeant: 2432 Eric George SHELDON "We
were in billets in Villers-Brettoneux and ARKINS was hit by a piece of shell when in his
billet. I heard the shell burst and went in to the billet and found him unconscious.
Corporal: 3069 Henry Dayrell HERDSON C Coy, 12th Platoon, 33rd Battalion was under the same
blankets with ARKINS, and was not touched.
Fritz attacked that day and we had to go out, but I heard that ARKINS never regained consciousness
and died in the dressing station in Villers Brettoneux of which Captain:
Melrose Holtom MAILER Medical Officer 33rd Battalion was in charge. ARKINS as in C
Company 12th Platoon, and was a Lewis Gunner, and a very fine chap. He was a School Teacher at home, but I
do not know where I should think he was 30 or so.
William is commemerated in perpetuity by the Commonweath War Graves Commission at Villers-Bretonneux
Cemetery, France.
Sympathy Cards sent to William's parents and photos were aquired from Mr Warren Willis of the
Mid West Militaria Collectors Club, Orange, N.S.W. in August 2006 and is now in the collection.
These items were donated to the club by Miss Alice Arkins, Williams sister.
Doom seated front row far right.
William was a School Teacher from South Corowa upon enlistment, Doom had traveled the world before
World War 1. His younger sister Thursa "Alice" was born in 1892 and died aged 92 years, and his younger brother
Private: 11900 John O'Connor ARKINS. served with the 9th Australian
Field Ambulance, during World War 1.
Daniel and Elizabeth Arkins were married in 1888 at Gulgong, N.S.W. Marriage Cert:6005/1888,
and had 8 children, 5 boys and 3 girls. James Arkins born 1888 at Petersham, N.S.W. Birth
Cert:6763/1888 and died in 1949 at Parramatta, N.S.W. Death Cert:17427/1949. William Arnold
Arkins born 1890 at Dubbo, N.S.W. Birth Cert:12098/1890 and died 1918, Villers-Bretoneux,
France. Thursa B L Arkins born 1892 at Barringun, N.S.W. Birth Cert: 6257/1892. John
O'Connor Arkins born 1894 at Barringun, N.S.W. Birth Cert:5645/1894. Ernest Roy Arkins
born 1897 at Bourke, N.S.W. Birth Cert:1648/1897 and died in 1944 at Parramatta, N.S.W. Death Cert:
26928/1944. Thomas Y Arkins born 1901 at Berrima, N.S.W. Birth Cert:29952/1901. Gladys
Edna Arkins born 1903 at Berrima, N.S.W. Birth Cert:28423/1903 and died in 1960 at Newcastle,
N.S.W. Death Cert:34522/1960. Lilly T B Arkins (no birth records after 1916 available)
died in 1924 at Goulburn, N.S.W. Death Cert:19335/1924.
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 11/08/2006.
Father: Daniel Mathew Arkins.
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